Barbara “Bobbi” McClay felt like she had no other choice when she went in front of the Sussex County Board of Adjustment in October to ask permission to rent rooms in her Lewes home through Airbnb.
Now, she may be the first person in Delaware specifically prohibited from renting through the online home rental site.
Wochit

After 22 years the original Dogfish Head brew pub is being torn down to make way for a new courtyard that will have an outdoor dining section and the back half will house the brewery and distillery for collaborations and brewpub exclusives.
Produced by Megan Raymond

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WATCH: Local Artist works with schools and organizations to paint murals to help educate | 2:53

John Donato paints murals with children that focus on subjects such as bully prevention, character building or anything else they are trying to instill into the children and staff.
Produced by Megan Raymond

A group of local volunteers has banned together to raise public awareness and help clean up the main tributary of Little Assawoman Bay.
The Dirickson Creek Team is made up of residents who live along the creek, who love to boat and kayak there, but recognize that it's just not safe anymore.
Wochit

Delaware's Jim Jannuzzio started a textbook concierge app last year called BookBandit. Over the last year, BookBandit's download totals have tripled and the business was selected by Google to participate in an invitation-only program.
Wochit

Tommy Gibson can't see. The massage therapist based in Sussex County has been blind since the turn of the century. But Gibson uses his other senses to their highest degrees, and has been working as a massage therapist since 2002.
Wochit

Ocean View Police Department hosted "Officer for a Day" a program working with 311 Tactical, LLC. designed to allow citizens to experience policing from an officer's perspective.
Produced by Megan Raymond

New complaints were filed this week on behalf of several former town employees and one businesswoman against Dewey Beach Town Manager Marc Appelbaum, including allegations of sexual harassment and unprofessionalism.
Wochit

On the Millsboro municipal website, a message is displayed front and center about the town's new vision: "Explosive Growth. Retailers Wanted. Families & Employers Welcome."
It's part of a plan that focuses on attracting businesses to boost the quiet little town's economy.
Produced by Gray Hughes

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Lawrence Lawson, along with members of the Marine Education, Research & Rehabilitation Institute and members of Sea Turtle Recovery rescue a loggerhead turtle approximately 3-miles east of Cape Henlopen near Lewes.
Coast Guard video

View of the new Resilient Tunnel Plug built by ILC Dover. The Resilient Tunnel Plug is capable of blocking tunnels during terrorist attacks and natural disasters.
Jason Minto/The News Journal/USA TODAY

Visitors to Rehoboth Beach walk next to shops along Rehoboth Avenue.(Photo: Jason Minto, The News Journal)

Businesses, too, are excited that the Main Street Foundation is operating once again.

Main Street gives businesses their own voice, said Susan Kehoe, general manager of Browseabout Books on Rehoboth Avenue. Organizations such as the Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce, as well as the city itself, do a lot for businesses, but Main Street only further unifies the business community, she said.

"And there’s strength in numbers," she said. "And it helps people attract great customers. If main street isn’t thriving, Rehoboth is not a desirable place to live."

Rehoboth Beach Main Street Foundation did a lot for businesses in the past, such as providing packets of useful information on city rules to new businesses and residents, Kehoe said, as well as helping with community beautification projects such as helping businesses get new signs and facades.

And while the city's main street is thriving right now, she said there is always room for improvement.

"I do see there are too many open store fronts and that’s cause for concerns," she said. "When you start seeing empty store fronts, you get all nervous. I think that’s our biggest concern."

Commissioner Kathy McGuiness, who was the founding president of Rehoboth Beach Main Street, also sees the empty storefronts as an issue.

She has never seen so many empty storefronts along Rehoboth Avenue in her life, she said at the Oct. 2 commissioners meeting.

"I know history is repeating itself, but this town needs CPR," McGuiness said, referencing a time before the Main Street Foundation existed. "I am sure that there could be funds, in light of all the funding that goes around the city for certain things, that there are funds there to support our downtown and our business which are crucial for the entire community."

Visitors to Rehoboth Beach walk next to shops along Rehoboth Avenue.(Photo: Jason Minto, The News Journal)

She is in favor of ensuring Rehoboth Beach Main Street is properly housed by the city as well as financed to ensure Rehoboth Avenue and its surrounding areas are healthy.

"I would like to see things move forward probably in a little bit faster method because I have seen what can happen and it's happening at quite a fast rate," she said. "It's alarming, and I do not want this to deteriorate into our neighborhoods and spread and decrease our property values."

McGuiness was in favor of having Main Street bring its budget and needs to the next Rehoboth Beach Commissioners meeting, scheduled to be held on Oct. 30 in order to get the program up and running.

Previously, the city had financed the program by providing between $30,000 and $35,000, Mayor Paul Kuhns said, as well as being given a place to work.

Kuhns also seemed to be in support of the foundation's impact.

"It's something we need to focus on," said Kuhns at the Oct. 2 meeting. "Not only with Main Street but in a partnership with Main Street, because obviously the downtown business community makes the community function as it does and I think it helps the residents."

"We've got income ready to come in, and we've got expenditures hopefully to go out," he said. "We're all business people, so we are going to manage the expenses to suit the income and adjust to that monthly at our meetings."